The efficacy of simultaneous fine-needle aspiration and large-needle biopsy of the thyroid gland.

Fine-needle aspirations and cutting needle biopsies were performed on 415 patients with solitary thyroid nodules. All nodules were considered hypofunctioning by scintiscans. Specimens were adequate in 399 patients. Ten percent of these patients had thyroid cancers documented by thyroidectomies. Results from either or both procedures were positive or suspicious in 58 patients (14.5%). Thyroid cancers were found in 40 of the 58 patients (69%). Aspirates alone detected 34 of 40 cancers (85%) and biopsy specimens alone detected 30 of 40 cancers (75%). All thyroid cancers were detected when both results were considered together, demonstrating that needle aspirates and cutting needle biopsies are complementary. The difficulty of making definitive diagnoses of follicular neoplasms by needle aspirates or cutting needle biopsies is reemphasized.